Filenews 9 December 2022 - by Eleftheria Paizanou
Of minor importance were the interventions of the opposition parties in the state budget for 2023, which was approved last night with 29 positive votes by DISY, DIKO and DIPA and was voted down by the 24 MPs of AKEL, ELAM, EDEK and the Ecologists. This is the last budget of the Anastasiades Government and the few changes made were probably for the "sake of arms", so that the new President of the Republic would not be faced with slashed funds.
In fact, with the amendments that have been tabled, the opposition has not put any serious obstacles in the way of the new President. Of the 110 amendments tabled, 46 were approved, of which three concerned deductions of funds, 16 concerned crosses and 27 appropriations included an inserted note, i.e. an obligation to simply inform the House every three months or six months. From the tactics employed by the opposition parties, it appears that, despite the support of different candidates, they allied themselves to rather meaningless amendments, while the 7% cut in operating costs and funds for staff training was not approved.
In fact, in the shadow of the previous days' controversy over Grivas, the funds proposed by AKEL were not cut off, but the total amount related to the special funds of the Deputy Ministry of Culture related to expenses for events, including some for Grivas, was crucified. What caused an impression was the joint amendment of AKEL and ELAM for the English School, which each party submitted separately, for its own reasons, but in the process was rejected.
In particular, the funds related to privatizations for the Athalassa-Sopaz forest road were cut and at the same time the costs for the purchase of consulting services were reduced by 10%. At the same time, 90% of the remaining funds for advisory services were committed. The same fate has befallen the costs of state contracts with private individuals to carry out inspections in slaughterhouses, of the symphony orchestra, of sponsorships against write-off of third-party tax obligations, of the purchase of buildings, of state service contracts with private individuals for court audits, of asphalt factories and of the purchase of services from experts to find an investor for the state fair.
In addition, funds were committed for olivewood and 50% of the amount related to the operation of an Investment Fund to provide capital financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, for the training of civil servants, for hydrocarbon issues and for the purchase of limousines and vehicles for the public service.
INTERESTED
Parliament informed about everything
At the same time, the Parliament will be informed about the Livestock Waste Management Unit in Orounta, about the housing plan for mountainous areas, the housing plans for displaced persons, about the Solidarity Fund, about the sponsorships from the HS, about the Estia, Ikia and Rent schemes against an Installment and about the plan for the replacement of the provident funds. The Parliament will also be informed about the procedures for the installation of an independent firefighting system in the Energy and Industrial Area in Vasilikos, about infrastructure for the arrival of Liquefied Natural Gas and about migration flows. Information will also be given on the plans for electromobility and other actions related to the Recovery Plan.
in-cyprus 9 December 2022 - by Stelios Marathovouniotis
The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the 2023 state budget.
The budget was approved by 29 votes in favour and 24 against.
It provides for general government revenue amounting to €11.76 billion and expenditure amounting to €11.29 billion. The budget features fiscal surplus of €0.46 billion corresponding to 1.7% of GDP while primary (excluding debt servicing expenditure) is estimated at 3% of GDP.
According to the budget macroeconomic scenario GDP growth is estimated to slow down to 3% in 2023 from a projected 6% this year and will amount to 3.3% and 3.2% in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Inflation is estimated to decline to 3% in 2023 from a projected 7.7% in 2022.
Primary spending in 2023 is expected to mark an increase of €554 million, while social transfers are estimated to increase by 4%.
